Respiratory Symptoms and Pulmonary Disability in an Industrial Town

Current Smoking Habits in 1957

“…In particular, the findings for the men in the Herefordshire survey differed from those of the other two public surveys, and it would be of interest to compare the smoking habits of men in the same age and occupational groups in geographically neighbouring areas. For example, the smoking habits of North Staffordshire miners may differ from those of colliers in Lancashire (Higgins et al, 1956), and this aspect will also be investigated.…”

Industrial bronchitis.

“…There is also good evidence that chronic bronchitis is two or three times more common among coal miners than among nonminers of the same age, living in the same district (Higgins et al, 1956). But the most careful studies have been unable to show more than a moderate association between respiratory symptomatology among these men and the dust levels to which they have been exposed (Higgins and Cochrane, 1961).…”

Chronic Bronchitis in Industry

“…(1) Higgins et al (1956): "The constant production of phlegm and one or more chest illnesses during the past three years." This implies confinement to the house, which means absence from work unless the illness occurs during a holiday or off-duty period.…”

“…Attention has therefore been concentrated upon the infective aspect, especially as Mulder (1938), Mulder and Goslings (1948), and May (1953a, 1953b, 1954 have demonstrated that Haemophilus influenzae can be found in the sputum of up to 90% of chronic bronchitics. The pneumococcus comes next in frequency.…”

“…Other pathogens are relatively uncommon. These organisms are rapidly reduced in number by treatment with suitable antibiotics, but they promptly re-establish themselves afterwards (May, 1953b). Elmes et al (1953) found short courses of various antibiotics only slightly and transiently effective, but they subsequently reported considerable benefit from a week's course of oxytetracycline given at the onset of an exacerbation of infection (Elmes et al, 1957).…”